


Closer Than You Think

by orphan_account



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Cannibalistic Thoughts, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Interrogation, Prison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-15
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2018-04-04 14:38:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4141551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chilton, Will, and Hannibal use Abigail to get information out of Abel. Their chat leads Abigail to believe that perhaps her father and Hannibal are more alike than she ever thought possible. {Set Season 1}</p>
            </blockquote>





	Closer Than You Think

“Me? You want _me_ to talk to him?” Abigail asks incredulously. “Why?”

She looks at both of her surrogate fathers—as well as Dr. Chilton and Alana—waiting to hear what their reasoning could be.

“We think you could get inside his head,” Will answers.

“He would be expecting one of us, but he wouldn’t be expecting you,” Hannibal continues. “Dr. Gideon could possibly be familiar with the Chesapeake Ripper, and we suspect your father might have known him as well. You are our missing link.”

Abigail turns to Alana.

“Do you think this is a good idea? Will it help if I try?”

Alana ceases her pacing and sits beside her.

“I think it’s dangerous. Dr. Gideon will be able to pick out your flaws. He’s ruthless and unforgiving. I think it will be harmful to you to speak to him, regardless of the possible advantages that Hannibal has presented. I’d advise against putting you in such a position.”

Abigail nods, looking down at her clasped hands in her lap. If there was a way she could prevent someone like her father from roaming free, if she could keep this pain and suffering away from someone else, then she knows she should.

Abigail picks her head up and looks at Frederick this time, ready with her answer.

“I’ll do it, Dr. Chilton. If you think it will help.”

As Will and Hannibal breathe sighs of relief, she hears Alana suck in her breath. Frederick smiles his cruel smile.

“It’s always worth a try, isn’t it?”

Bravely, she nods, stands, and moves to follow Chilton down to Gideon’s cell. Hannibal and Will move to follow as well.

“Ah, ah, ah,” Chilton says, stopping them in their tracks. “You are to stay here. I don’t want your presence influencing their discussion.

“I’ll be fine,” she says, before they can jump in and say something stupid. “Dr. Chilton will be with me. I can do this.”

“You are very strong, Abigail.”

“Be careful,” Will urges.

“I will.”

Hannibal and Will wait at the top of the stairs as she and Chilton walk down into the murky darkness. She hopes Alana won’t worry too much.

“There are some things you should be made aware of while you are down here. Do not touch or approach the bars. You pass him nothing. If he attempts to pass you anything, do not accept it. Do you understand me?”

“Yes.”

“Good, right this way then.”

“Dr. Chilton, if he you and Will and Hannibal, then maybe I should go in by myself. Don’t you think?”

“That’s against policy, Miss Hobbs. I am required to be here.”

“But he won’t talk if you’re here.”

Chilton thinks for a moment. He hates that she has a point. A very good point. She looks at him expectantly, not backing down one bit. Her eyes are so big and wide, he’s afraid he’ll fall in if he looks at them for too long; he can only hope that her innocence—or the appearance of it—will be enough to at least loosen Abel’s lips. Hell, even if Gideon forwent discussion of the Ripper and spoke of Miriam Lass instead, that would at least be better than his usual silences.

“Alright. I’ll be nearby. Call for me when you’re through.”

He points her the direction of Abel’s cell and turns down another dark corner.

Alone.

All alone in this basement filled with hushed mutterings and an occasional scream of agony. She can relate.

She creeps closer until she is standing in front of his cell.

“Frederick? Is that you? Back for another round of the quiet game?”

She swallows as she hears a rustling noise and sees a man walk out of the shadows and into the doorway of his cell.

“Well, you’re not Frederick.”

“I’m Abigail.”

“How did such a tender little thing get lost down here?”

“I’m Abigail Hobbs.”

A look of dawning comes over his face.

“Ah, I see. Then Frederick must still be nearby. Spying on me. He’s quite the voyeur, you know.”

“I do. He asked me to come here.”

Abel rests his crossed arms against his cell door.

“So your father had a taste for humans.”

“Is that a question?” Abigail asks.

She knew it was coming. It stung. It made her skin crawl, but reminding herself why she was here was enough to keep her from bolting. She hears another scream, long and loud and far away.

“I’m just wondering if you’ve become a vegetarian yet. I’m not sure you could stomach meat. A constant reminder of your own suffering.”

“Unlike you, I am free. I can choose what I eat and when I eat. You live according to Dr. Chilton’s schedule. Maybe if you help me, you can negotiate.”

Abel laughs. It’s a laugh that lacks all warmth. It’s a laugh to scare her. It doesn’t work. She merely schools her features into a practiced mask of calm until his display is over. She hopes he doesn’t notice that her legs are shaking.

“Do you know the Chesapeake Ripper?”

Gideon stops laughing. She used a buzzword, and she’s a little proud of herself that it worked.

“Haven’t you been told? _I’m_ the Chesapeake Ripper.”

Abigail scrunches her brows.

“That’s impossible.”

“Oh? And why is that?” Gideon asks.

His grin is worse than his laugh. The laugh was obviously fake and rehearsed, but his smile, his twisted, cruel smile was all too real. Abigail feels her hands ball into fists.

“Because the day my father attacked me and my mother, the Chesapeake Ripper called my house. And you’ve been down here for years.”

There’s a long pause before he says, “Well that does change things…”

His smile leaves him, but Abigail doesn’t feel entirely triumphant. There’s something wrong, off, about this. Moreso than there was before.

“You’re not the Ripper.”

Looking her dead in the eyes, he says, “No.”

She steps closer to his cell, closer than she knows she’s supposed to.

“Do you know him?”

“I do. And so do you.”

“My father wasn’t—”

“Garrett Jacob Hobbs wasn’t the Ripper. But if I were you, I’d refrain from revealing his name if you want to live.”

She moves closer than, until she too is gripping the bars, waiting to hear his answer.

“You can tell me. You’re safe in here. No one can hurt you. Please help me.”

Gideon leans down and whispers a name into her ear, and she pulls away as if she had been burned.

“You’re wrong,” she breathes.

He shrugs.

“What you do with that information is entire up to you, my dear.”

“Dr. Chilton!” she calls. “Dr. Chilton?”

He quickly rounds the corner to their vicinity.

“I’d like to go home now,” she says, cool façade breaking apart.

“Right this way.”

With a rapid gait, she follows him back towards the stairs, but looks back before they round a corner. Gideon waves at her once before disappearing back into the shadows of his cell.

She ascends into the light, squinting her eyes and feeling many hands rush to help her sit, eager to hear what she has to report.

“What did he say?” Alana asks.

“N-nothing.”

“You were down there a while,” Will says.

“He was just trying to torment me. Isn’t everything recorded down there?”

“It is, but we want to know that you will be alright,” Hannibal responds.

Abigail whips around to look at him.

“ _Are_ you alright, Abigail?”

She swallows, watching him closely. It makes suddenly makes senses. For here she was, simply swapping one cannibalistic father for another. It’s all she knows, and it’s not worth fighting.

“Yeah. I’m alright.

He smiles.


End file.
